


Train Tracks

by Skyla_Seijuro



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Book References, Flashbacks, M/M, Mystery, Romance, Slow Burn, Supernatural Elements, Tags will be added, Unspecified Setting, mentions of anxiety and depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:06:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24703525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyla_Seijuro/pseuds/Skyla_Seijuro
Summary: Kim Jongin, a university student and a hopeless romantic who loves walking through forest alone and dancing under the moonlight. One day in his stroll through the thick forest he comes across train tracks, which is weird since there is no trains near his home, especially not located inside of the grand forest.There he meets a mysterious boy with dark hair and much darker eyes, laying on the tracks as he watches the sky with an unfocused gaze.“Why don’t you leave with me?”“I have too many regrets weighing me down.”
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18





	Train Tracks

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! It took me a while to write it but finally it is done! English is not my first language but I tried my best. I also did a [moodboard](https://www.pinterest.ca/Skyla_Seijuro/train-tracks/) and a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/04scuXEm0tPwH2aHJd03Z4?si=a0RvwadbTYGEV1wKq0BAdQ) for it.

“Welcome home Jongin.”

Jongin hugged his smiling mother and smelled the familiar scent of their home. Black tea and old books, he had missed it. He closed his eyes and continued hugging his mother, probably longer than the small woman expected but she made no attempt of loosening her grip.

After they moved away from each other, she helped him gather his bags inside. Jongin’s heart felt ten times lighter with the familiar face of his mother as they made their way into the living room, which was illuminated with the wide windows on its beige walls. He located an open book and a half drunk tea on the coffee table. He smiled, his mother probably had just brewed tea, because she knew he would arrive around this time. He asked her if he could have some and his mother excitedly left to fill him a cup. He sat on the soft couch and took the book to check its cover. His mother was reading another book of Umberto Eco. The pages were old and the smell was lovely. Just as he put it back down his mother put the steamy cup on the table and sat next to him. 

They chatted for a while, he took sips occasionally from his tea and told her about his dance lessons and friends back at university. His mother listened but never pried too much which he was grateful for. He finished his tea in no time and excused himself to go to his room to unpack and declined his mother’s offer to help him. Said he hadn’t brought much from his dorm.

He climbed up the wooden stairs and heard them crack under his feet. He remembered how he tried to get down silently at night when he was a kid but fail miserably when he heard the pained sound of the wood. He grimaced at the memory, those were scary times for little Jongin.

He opened the white door of his room and closed it behind him, the door gave a pained creak as it closed. His old room was clean and mostly empty. His always messy desk only had small cups on it, which he put his pencils in. His old bookcase was the only thing that was full, since he couldn’t bring the heavy piles of paper along with him to Seoul. He touched the old covers of them and walked over to his bed. Putting his bag on the lilac covers, he slumped down on the bed face down. The covers smelled flowery, his mother most likely just changed them. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. The trip was long and exhausting. He didn’t have much money left so instead of asking his mother for money to buy a plane ticket, he opted for hijacking and walking. He regretted spending all his money on drinks and cigarettes. But he hadn’t thought much about returning home at that time.

He shuffled around the bed and turned his back to the wall and continued looking around his room. He felt too lazy to unpack but he didn’t want his mother to come and see him lying down on bed and doing the work for him instead. He forced himself up and opened the bag. He hadn’t brought much, just clothes, some textbooks and usual technological needs. He put them on his desk and wardrobe as quickly as he could. While he was putting his books on the top shelf on his bookcase, he noticed a small box. It wasn’t there before so he took it carefully and sat on the chair in front of his desk. The box was white and fairly light. Curiosity got the best of him and he opened the lid. He wasn’t expecting to find a bunch of photos inside.

He took them out and lay them down on the flat surface of his desk. There were some from his childhood, some with his sisters and mother. They were old with faded colors. He smiled to himself as he shuffled through them but one of them made him stop his movements. 

The photo was taken just outside of their garden, It was from his high school times and he looked young with his hair longer. He wasn’t looking at the camera but instead he was  
beaming at the person next to him. Another boy around his age, just a bit shorter than him.

 _Taemin._

____________

_“Do we really have to take pictures?” Jongin whined. It was the first day of high school and he really didn’t think it was necessary to take pictures as if it was the first day of elementary school. He rolled his eyes as his mother excitedly opened the camera and motioned them to move in front of the porch. It was a sunny day with little clouds covering the sky, the light of the sun burned his eyes and made it harder to open them when he tried to look into the lens. He covered his eyes and fake cried when it became impossible to keep them open but the small laugh next to him made him stop and he glanced at the person standing next to him between his slightly open fingers._

_“What’s so funny?” he said trying to sound frustrated. But his own smile gave it away._

_“You act like a middle schooler Nini. Please just smile at the camera or we will be late.”_

_He put down his hands and slightly pushed the others’ shoulders. Taemin looked at him unfazed. He closed the gap between them and whispered in his ear so his mother wouldn’t hear._

_“You shine brighter than the sun bro I don’t know which one of you is harder to look at.”_

_Jongin barked out a laugh with the sudden flirt coming from his friend. Just as he did, he heard the click of the camera._

_“Perfect! Come on boys let’s get in the car.”_

___________

He put the photo down and collected them to put back in the box. The dull ache in his heart was enough for him for today. He didn’t need his memories to haunt him just as he arrived at home. He put the box back on its place and left the room. He quickly washed his hands in the bathroom and returned back to the kitchen where his mother was preparing dinner.

“I am making some broccoli soup, I am sure you haven’t had any back at uni.”

Jongin hugged his mother tightly, the position was awkward and her elbow poked his ribs a little painfully when she stirred the soup but he didn’t mind, neither did she, so they stayed a little while until the heat from the soup heated the skin of his arms. He left his mother’s side and asked if she needed anything and like always, she didn’t, so he opted for a small walk around the house instead.

The walk turned into a small pace around to a long walk through the thick bushes behind their porch. The branches scratched the hem of his jeans and arms. It was a cloudy day and he saw the dark clouds making their way over the forest at the end of the open field. The forest he was scared of when he was a child, then a place he cherished as he grew up. With the blanket like clouds in the sky, the forest looked eerie and quiet, just like the way he remembered it from his childhood memories.

He turned his back to the trees, he wasn’t ready to go there yet. His heart ached just from seeing his own small house, what would he do when he saw the earth paths filled with oak trees, smell the fresh air around him and see the fragments of old memories of him and Taemin.

His walk back home was a short one, since it was never far away from the forest. When he arrived at the porch, his bare arms were full of faint red scratches. They hurt a little but he wasn’t uncomfortable. He looked around himself and quickly licked some of the scratches and hissed when they burned with his spit. He used to do that all the time when he was a kid and Taemin always said it was disgusting. But he always saw the boy do the same when he thought Jongin wasn’t looking.

 _“Why would you do that?”_

_“Spit is a natural bacteria killer Taemin, duh.”_

He opened the door and entered the house.

Around seven they sat down for dinner, there was soup and rice along with some side dishes. He realised how much he had missed his mother’s cooking as he stacked down all the food. His mother laughed at his son and said they had more soup if he wanted more. He was more than happy to have one more bowl. He was full by the end of dinner. 

“Would you like some tea Jongin?” said his mother and Jongin nodded. They drank their tea quietly. His mother was very silent and Jongin wondered what went on inside her head. She looked thoughtful, her eyes looking somewhere behind Jongin absently as she held her cup in front of her face.

“Mother, is something wrong?”

His mother’s eyes moved to his own. She put her cup down and sighed. She looked older when she sighed and closed her eyes like that. Jongin didn’t know what to think of it before his mother answered him.

“Have you talked to Taemin recently?”

Jongin tensed, his mother addressing the topic made knots appear in his throat. He didn’t know how to answer without making his mother sad. Either way, he needed to explain to her the situation sooner or later.

“We... We no longer talk to each other.” he said with a strained voice.

As he expected, sadness filled her eyes. She took another sip and waited for his son to continue.

“We had a fallout, it wasn’t anybody’s fault.” Jongin tried to sound objective, “His girlfriend told everyone that he cheated on her with me and for some reason everyone believed her. I guess a crying girl is more convincing than a scared boy.”

She didn’t say anything so Jongin took it as a cue to continue.

“We tried to do something about the gossip. Hopefully people realised over time that she just tried to throw dirt on me, but I was tired, so tired. One day he suddenly stopped talking to me and blocked me everywhere. Then one day I heard that he transferred to another university in America as an exchange student. He left without saying goodbye. All those years of friendship was for nothing to him I guess.”

He got startled as her mother suddenly got up, she quickly moved towards him and crushed him into a hug. He hadn’t realised he was crying until his mother sushed him softly. He gripped at the fabric around her shoulder and let the tears fall freely from his eyes.

“I don’t know what I did wrong, mother. I just loved him so much.”

“I know baby, I know.” she said and patted his hair gently. They moved from the table, sat on the couch in the living room and talked more. Jongin cried more and talked about the old days. Memories of them... of Taemin. Every little detail made more tears leave his eyes. He was sure they would be swollen by tomorrow. As time passed, he rested his head on her lap as she petted his head. He was no longer crying but he still felt the dull ache of his broken heart. His breath got steady and his eyelids grew heavier. They decided to sleep for the night and he kissed his mother’s cheek before he went to his room.

He got in front of his window and watched the forest off afar. The clouds were gone and the moonlight revealed every corner of his small room. It looked magical and Jongin couldn’t help but play a song from his phone. Just as the tune started, he put it on the nightstand and closed his eyes. He let himself move to the sound, not thinking while he moved around the room. The song quickened and so did his moves. It was his favorite [song](https://open.spotify.com/track/24JygzOLM0EmRQeGtFcIcG?si=Q23nAtpxRTCyHTwiDiaS9w) when he needed to dance aimlessly, when he needed to express his feelings through dancing. It got exhausting after the fifth minute, but it was worth it at the end.

He spun and jumped softly on his feet and spun one more time and put his hands up when the song slowed down. He felt blissful, he opened his eyes and saw how bright the moon was, how beautiful it looked. He kneeled down as the song ended and put his hands up again, facing the moon and closed his eyes back.

Out in the distance, he thought he heard a train make its way into the forest.

**********

He woke up to a rainy morning and a cold room.

He turned over on the bed and hugged the blanket tighter around himself. He tried to go back to sleep but he was shivering with cold and after a couple of minutes, the cold won over his sleepiness and he got up from the bed with the blanket around his shoulders.

He shuffled around his wardrobe to find extra blankets but there was nothing aside from his old clothes. He sighed and sat on his bed. The clock on his wall showed it was seven in the morning. He rubbed his eyes and yawned loudly. Maybe he could make some tea and surprise his mother and check the bookcases in the living room to see if there were any new books. If he wasted more time finding a blanket, he would wake his mother. He decided making tea was a better idea.

The kitchen was brighter than his room with gray lights coming through the clouds. Raindrops hit the window and some leaked inside from the window sill. Jongin found a piece of cloth inside one of the cabinets and tucked it in the little crack of the window. At least now the water wouldn’t make a mess on the parquets. 

He quickly put water to boil and found the little tea box which was always on the second cabinet next to the fridge. The little red metal box had many little scratches around it. It was probably older than Jongin but somehow it still shined with it's old beauty. Just as he opened the lid he heard footsteps making their way to the kitchen. His mother entered the kitchen, her sleepy eyes showed that she had just woken up. 

“Nini are you making tea? Look at my son all grown up and making tea for his mother.”

Jongin rolled his eyes as he put the tea and hot water in the kettle. It would only take five to ten minutes for it to brew. He put the kettle back on the other one with hot water and sat next to his mother on the small dining table. His mother had already opened a news page on her phone and started reading. He absently played with the strings of the blanket and waited for the tea. They were still too sleepy to chat. He got up two times to check the tea, on the third the color was satisfyingly red so he poured some on in a cup along with some hot water and served it to his mother, then he got some for himself too. 

“I will walk around the town today.” he said. He blew at the tea to cool it down and took a sip. The tip of his tongue burned with his first sip, his impatience had hurt him once again.

“Okay” she said back without looking up from her phone. Her furrowed brows showed that she was too far gone in the reading. Jongin decided not to interrupt her more and got up to find some leftovers for breakfast.There were some baked pastries inside the bread box. It was enough for today. His mother probably didn’t make any food while he and his sisters were away.

“Mother do you want some?” he asked. His mother waved her hand in a form of “No need”. Jongin put some on a plate and left the kitchen to go to his room but before he did, he stopped at the old black bookcase just before the stairs.

The hand that didn’t hold the plate reached out to touch the old covers of his mother's books. They looked and smelled old, many of them worn out. His hand wandered on them but came to a stop at a specific one, It looked fairly new between the ancient ones.

“Never Let Me Go.” he murmured out loud. The title made him sigh with the sudden memories of him and Taemin. Regardless, he took the book and hurried up to his room.

*******

The book turned out to be a puzzle itself and Jongin found himself reading it for hours next to his window. The sound of rain hitting his window calmed him as he read through the pages, he was almost half finished with it. It had been a while since he read a book this engrossing and it was a nice change. When he was at university he mostly spent his free time on games and social media. They always kept his mind busy from his stressful life but he regretted not once opening a book as his habit of reading died slowly. He missed his home most those times. His mother, her books and the smell of tea… Finally he was here. His mother was just down the stairs, a book in his hands. He was finally at ease and his mind serene. He flipped the page and decided to take a little break and go on to the walk he decided in the morning. The rain had slowed considerably and more light hit the ground as the clouds got thinner. 

He put the book on the desk and got his jacket to go out. He casually informed his mother that he was going out.

“Do you need anything from the market?”

“We don’t have much rice left. Also some cigarettes for me.”

Jongin scoffed but nodded. It hurt him to see her mother maintain her bad habits, but he learned to not comment on them if he wanted the house quiet and in peace. He took his old hat from the clothing tree and left the house.

The breeze was cool on his skin, the hat did enough to keep the rain off his eyes as he walked past the pavement and stepped on the grass path next to his and their neighbour’s house. There were still very few houses around the neighborhood, It had always been like this since he was a kid. He glanced farther away and saw the yellow walls of Taemin’s house. He felt anxious but he knew the other was still in America. He didn’t need to stress himself out over it.

Walking on the wet grass surely dirtied his shoes, he hoped they wouldn’t soak the water in as he stepped as softly as possible. He didn’t want mud to stain his pants. It was pretty inconvenient weather but Jongin once made up his mind. He already passed the bushes between the houses and the forest. It was a hassle to walk between the branches with the pointy tips he hated as a kid. They had always scratched the bare skin of his legs when he got out to play with Taemin and friends. But now he wore thick jeans instead of the shorts he wore as a kid. Still, it did so little to decrease his distaste towards them. 

The inside of the forest was somehow colder. The cold wind moved between old trees and rustled the leaves of the wild bushes surrounding them. There were still some blueberries on some bushes even if it was late fall. He checked some of them and collected the ones with lighter color. Some blueberries had spider webs and spiders on them so Jongin opted for other bushes when he encountered the eight legged creatures. His outcome of his foraging was satisfying enough. He put some on his mouth and continued his walk. The blueberries were either sour or really sweet. They tasted amazing regardless. He never got to eat these in the city. 

As time passed, the wind got quieter and a soft fog appeared with every step he took into the dense forest. The trees got older with moses on their bodies. There was less light here and the rain clouds made the forest look bewitched. His eyes checked every unseen corner, the fog limited his vision as it got thicker with every step of his. Maybe it was time to return, he thought to himself, but once he saw the glint of metal on the ground farther between the trees, he decided against it.

Confused, he moved faster. The metal he saw earlier were train tracks. In the middle of the forest. All these years of wandering around here, it was the first time he saw these. Were they new? He didn’t think so, they looked old and used as they had wheel scratches on them. They looked like they were not being used anymore. 

He remembered last night when he heard the distant sound of the train. “So it was coming from here”. He crouched next to it and touched the cool surface. He shivered with how it felt on his skin. The width was enough for someone to lie between them, the gap between the tracks were filled with round stones. It looked pretty comfortable but it was inconvenient to lie on the tracks when he heard the sound of it just yesterday.

The rain got faster when he finally stood up, his jacket was thin and he knew he would get drenched soon. He decided to get back for today, stop by the market on his way. He could always come back tomorrow.

***********

Jongin found himself going to the tracks the next day with a book and a water bottle in his bag. He wanted to wait and see if any trains passed around daytime. The weather was better considering yesterday’s rain, even if the slight fog remained. He leaned on the trunk of a tree as he faced the tracks and read his book. His butt got cold the longer he stayed but he was so close to finishing the book and so he beared the cold a bit longer. He felt empty as he finished the last page. So much that he sat there and just looked around his surroundings, listening to the rustles of the trees and birds chirping enthusiastically on them. He felt nice just sitting there, not thinking and feeling proud that he just finished a book after so long. That day he got back home later than he planned.

The third day he brought a blanket along with a new book. A book his old literature teacher recommended to the class when he was in his first year of University. It was longer than the first one but he intended on finishing it and with the effect of the forest on him, he knew he would finish it in no time. He put the blanket under to the usual tree and read the book. No train passed that day either.

The fourth day was colder than the previous one so he brought two blankets and a thermos full of warm coffee. His mother eyed him suspiciously when he packed up his bag. But she looked relieved that his son spent more time outside instead of wasting it on his computer like before. The book was slow at first but he craved for more as he read more. He actually started crushing on the main character too. It made Jongin laugh himself as he hugged his blanket closer under the tree. Again, no trains passed.

On the fifth day, Jongin wondered if he had imagined the sound. But It sounded real to his ears that night. Instead of coffee he took tea and crackers with him since he left the house early and didn’t eat breakfast. No train again.

No trains on six day and Jongin’s suspicion increased greatly. 

At day seven with being on the last pages of the book and nibbling on the cookies his mother baked that morning, he was sure that the sound of the train was his mind playing tricks on him. He sighed, but still it was a nice occasion to spend time at. He opened some music from his phone he had brought that day after almost a week of not using it. The melody filled the silent forest and he put the almost finished book next to him. His mind wandered on the recent memories of the past months. The morning when he learned Taemin left, while sitting next to Chanyeol under a tree. They were waiting for Baekhyun to show up as Chanyeol played with the strings of his guitar and hummed softly. Baekhyun arrived with the news and a face full of sadness. Jongin could still feel the coldness spreading through his body. 

The songs changed and Jongin delved further into them. Remembered the day Taemin came up to him with the biggest smile he saw on him. The day he told Jongin that he got a girlfriend. How confused he was that day, he knew the other was busy with someone else, always ditching their meetings and avoiding Jongin when he was in a low mood. He didn’t know the cause of his friend’s behaviour. Wished he never knew.

Just as he started to think they had something special.

It started to hurt. He didn’t want them to get a hold of him so he got up and started to dance and tried to concentrate on his moves. He wanted to focus on something else other than the painful feeling in his heart. The song was an instrumental one with a melancholic sound of it so his body moved along with it. Slow and graceful, his eyes were closed and as the song neared its end, a single tear fell on his cheek. He finished his dance with his head facing up, he saw the blue sky between the thick bushes. It was a nice day, Jongin didn’t want to waste any more of it.

He returned home after finishing the book.

******************

“You go out often these days.” His mother stood next to the kitchen door and watched his son search for a new book on the bookcase. Jongin smiled and shrugged, said he found a nice place to read books. 

“Wear warm clothes, I will beat you up if you get sick.”

Jongin rolled his eyes and took “I, Robot” from the upper shelf. He had read it when he was in high school and wanted to read it again after some years, to see if he would interpret things differently. He quickly wore his jacket and kissed his mom on the cheek before going out. It wasn’t that cold but he knew how typical his mom was. 

The clouds were thicker today and the sky was fairly gray. Today was a nice day to listen to music and read. It was still early in the morning and he had a lot of time to spend. He felt relaxed and content. Away from things that made him stressed and sleepless. Deep down he knew these days would end sooner or later. He felt distressed and tried not to delve into those thoughts more than necessary, he still had plenty of time before he had to return to university for the other semester. He just needed to rest and the last thing he needed was feeding his own anxiety with irrationality. . 

He walked past the bushes and pine trees, followed the way he got used to walking every other day. The air inside the forest was humid and made it feel colder than it actually was. Jongin didn’t mind, he had two blankets with him as always.

He stepped around the large trunk of the last tree and climbed the little earth ramp, his hands became a little stained with dirt, It probably rained at night while they were sleeping. The idea of nature getting enough hydration warmed his heart. He wiped his hands on his jeans and set his bag under the tree. I wondered if the blankets would soak too much. They probably would. He sighed, did he walk all the way for nothing?

He glanced around, he saw the trails go on and on into the forest and an idea popped in his mind. He never walked over them, did he? He felt suddenly curious how long they continued and where they led. Why does it occur to him just now when he had a whole week where he could discover all he wanted. It was weird. He started walking nonetheless. His pace was slow and the rails curved as he walked, not much but just enough to change the direction. The more steps he took, the more he felt lost. It felt like he was moving in circles but still he couldn’t stop himself to turn back where he usually sat and read books. The more steps he took, the more his curiosity grew. The desire to reach an end was strong and he shivered. 

The rails curved one more time to the left and Jongin saw a figure before he saw the tunnel. His pace quickened and the figure got clearer. A person, laying down on the rails with his head resting on the metals. It was a boy around his age with dark hair and clothes too thin for this kind of weather. A pink sweater and soft pink pants. He felt cold just by looking at him. The boy’s eyes were closed and he looked blissed out. Jongin slowed down, he didn’t want to startle the other as he approached, but it was useless because the stranger opened his eyes slowly, and turned his head to look at him. Jongin’s breath hitched, his eyes were dark and they looked tiredly at his own. 

The boy was extremely good looking.

Jongin suddenly felt a little self conscious.

“Hello?” Jongin said, it felt awkward just looking at the other, he wanted to fill the silence. He was met with silence however as the other boy looked him up and down.

“Umm… I am Jongin, do you live around here?”

The other didn’t answer at first and Jongin feared if it was too straightforward, It probably wasn’t. Knowing that didn’t help much to his anxiety.

“You could say that... “ he said “I am Sehun.”

Jongin exhaled the breath he didn’t know he was holding. Sehun’s voice was deeper than he expected and it sounded good to his ears. Soothing and calm, just like his eyes which were trained on Jongin’s at the moment. He averted his eyes shyly and with all the courage he could muster, he walked to the boy and sat next to him crossed-leg. He felt a little unsafe sitting on a train rail, but Sehun looked strangely relaxed and it made Jongin feel okay about it. He let his shoulder relax.

“Why are you laying on a train rail Sehun?” he asked and played with the grass in front of him. He couldn’t look more than five seconds at him.

“It’s a nice place to spend time at.” He answered back, shrugging a little. If Jongin didn’t know better, he would feel dumb asking a question like that. He considered stating the obvious like “It is dangerous” but his observations throughout the week showed that trains didn’t pass by the forest. That night where he heard the train was still a mystery to him but he had decided to leave that behind, not seeing the necessity to carry on with his little investigation.

He had become more dismissive than he was weeks ago. It was a surprising improvement on his side. _Funny how things change over time._

“What are you thinking about?” Sehun said with a quivering brow. His face didn’t show any emotion but his voice gave away that he found Jongin’s sudden lostness in thoughts funny. Jongin stopped playing with the grass and smiled. 

“I was thinking how dangerous it feels to sit on here.” he answered in honesty. Sehun mirrored back with a smile of his own. It made Jongin’s heart flutter a little. 

“Trains don’t pass much here, don’t worry.” he said simply and made himself comfortable on the rails. Jongin chuckled how Sehun made the hardwood seem like the most comfortable thing ever. He couldn’t help but crawl next to him and sat near his legs. Their eyes met and It was so hard not to shy away from those dark eyes. It required Jongin’s all self esteem to hold eye contact. He didn’t know what to say. If he should open a conversation or not. To his luck Sehun already had something in his mind.

He asked what the book he was holding, Jongin was more than happy to tell him about the book he started today. Sehun listened carefully, nodded his head from time to time to show that he was listening. Jongin didn’t want to bore the other guy with his blabbering but Sehun’s eyes were so focused on him that he couldn’t stop himself from explaining the plot and tell him about the movie about it too since Sehun said he haven’t heard of it when he said the book’s name to him.

The conversation changed many times after that. Jongin made most of the talking with Sehun asking questions. They talked about the forest, about books and somehow about teas. Jongin forgot how they ended up on that topic, he didn’t care either. It was so relaxing to chat with Sehun, it almost felt therapeutic. Not having to think hard on what to say. 

“Do you come here often?” he asked Sehun. Even if it didn’t feel like it, three ours passed with them talking about this and that and the weather made Jongin shiver around the second hour. 

“Only when I feel like it.” Sehun said simply. “You are cold aren’t you? I can come tomorrow too, I think you should go.”

Jongin’s eyes widened at Sehun’s directness, he hoped the disappointment didn’t show on his features when he nodded, but the little smile Sehun gave to him eased his thoughts. He got up at the same time Sehun did. He realised the other was a bit taller than him, not too much but enough for him to realise. 

“Where is your house?” asked Jongin

“It’s on the other side of the forest.” answered Sehun.

It was impossible since there were no towns near the forest other than the one Jongin lived. He wanted to question further. The thing what prevented him from doing so was a feeling, a feeling that whispered to him softly that he didn’t need to. He didn’t have to know. Jongin nodded internally at the feeling. He really didn’t need to, did he?

That’s how his first day went with Sehun, pretty simple, like everyday occurrences despite the mysteriousness that surrounded the other and the lack of curiosity Jongin possessed. 

_________

Plenty others followed after their first day with each other.

Jongin now brought a bigger thermos of coffee or tea along with two mugs. His mother asked who it was for, he said it was for a friend that he had met.

“Weird, I don’t remember anyone moving recently.”

Jongin didn’t think much about it. 

Sehun loved coffee more than he loved tea. It didn’t surprise Jongin, somehow he knew the other would prefer a bitter taste. They talked about coffee, how they prefer it or which type of beans Jongin loved. Sehun didn’t know much, Jongin was more than happy to elaborate.

Another day he brought books with him, so that they could read them together when they prefer silence over small talk. Sehun looked particularly interested in the shorter one he brought with him “The History of The World.” He actually meant to read it himself but he didn’t want to stop the other. Still his choice of the book seemed bizarre.

One day, when Jongin didn’t want to go home early, they laid under the blankets and watched the stars. They opened some music as they leaned into each other's warmth. Their shoulders and arms were flush together, Jongin tried so hard not to lean in further. 

“Would you dance for me if I asked nicely.” Sehun whispered. “I saw you once when you were dancing in the forest, you looked ravishing.” he turned his head to look at Jongin’s eyes. 

He felt hot under the gaze of Sehun, the thought of dancing in front of him felt awkward, but he looked so hopeful at Jongin that he couldn’t help but nod. Sehun’s smile was enough to make him feel better about his decision.

He decided on a [one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQEJIv8cNEo)he recently worked on. It was a modern one with a lot of outlandish movements but it was the only thing he was confident doing at the moment. He knew he wouldn’t mess up the movements thanks to it being recent choreography. 

He opened the song and got into the position, held his hands as if he was holding a door knob and waited for the song to continue. He swayed back and forth, closed his eyes and quickly moved his hands behind him, one by one.

The moves were fast and needed his full attention on almost every part of his body. He steadied his breath and went on, almost all thought left him as he moved along the soft rhythm. His knees and hands got dirty when he kneeled down, dried leaves got into his shirt when he laid down on the ground. Maybe it wasn’t the most convenient thing to dance on an earthy surface, but a quick glance on Sehun said it paid off well enough.

He finished his dance with throwing his hands up and looking up at them then slowly lowered them together. He was breathing heavily but just as the music stopped, a big smile appeared on his face involuntarily. Sehun’s mouth was half open and he looked starstruck. Jongin knew he danced well, but his reaction stroked his ego a little bit more. 

“Did you like it?”

Sehun could only nod as an answer.

_____________

Whenever he was not around the forest, his mind was filled with thoughts of it. Of the forest, of Sehun... His raven hair, pale skin and soft eyes. He often got lost in thoughts when he sat alone in his room and watched the trees with his heart beating a little faster than normal. He imagined lingering touches, shared smiles, knowing looks. He often found himself smiling to himself.

He knew he had a little crush on Sehun, if his shyness around the other boy wasn’t enough of an evidence, his days took shape with Sehun. He met with him often, talked with him, drank coffee and sometimes they went on walks, following the rails. They never made it far from their usual hangout, neither they left the trail. Jongin didn’t comment on it, for some reason, he didn’t feel the need to do so. Everything was perfect this way. Whenever they walked side by side, Jongin longed to hold Sehun’s hand, wanting to balance each other when they tried to walk on the metals. He couldn’t, but the little smiles they gave was enough to soothe his nerves. Sehun’s eyes turned into small crescent moons whenever Jongin tripped over his feet and Jongin found himself gaping. How much cuter could he become?

“Jongin, you mentioned your University before..” Sehun said. Jongin’s lingering eyes immediately stopped on his lips. They looked pale.

“Yeah, what about it?” he didn’t move his gaze. Oh no, he was being obvious.

“When will you return back?” Sehun asked and didn’t comment on how Jongin stared at his face, Jongin blushed and forced his face forwards, he hummed a little, trying to seem lost in thought rather than a boy with a lame crush. 

“Probably next semester, which is starting like… In seven weeks I think.”

He still had time, seven weeks was a long time. He didn’t have to get nervous about it. Sehun and him still had plenty of time to hang out, he still had time to read books and drink his mother’s homemade tea. He still had time to just let himself go and relax.

But the fear of returning back was always back in his mind, waiting for an opening to invade his thoughts, to make him sleepless at night.

“You still have time then, It’s good.” Sehun smiled, It was obvious he was better at being happy about it. Jongin was impressed at him being able to look at it on a bright side. They continued walking, not talking until they returned back and parted their ways to go home. The sky was getting darker, cicadas had already started singing their songs. The forest was quite otherwise.

“See you tomorrow Jongin.”

_____________

The next day Jongin came across a scene which made him struck with awe.

There was Sehun, sitting on their usual spot in front of the tree. But he wasn’t alone. There was a ball of fluff on his lap, white fur along with occasional black spots. It was a cat and it was sleeping on a smiling Sehun. That was a smile he has never seen from the other boy.

“Hey Sehun.” he said, making his presence known. He smiled and quickly crouched next to him, looking at the cat as well.

“Who is this?” he asked and made himself comfortable, leaning his back on the trunk of the tree.

“I named her Mimi. She was here when I came here.”

 _What an adorable name_ , Jongin thought. The cat’s eyes were closed, she was purring and only opened her eyes briefly to check on the newly arrived person. But she was fast asleep in no time when she closed them back.

So they talked in hushed tones, faces near. Jongin chuckled lightly when Sehun explained he had to pull her tail away to see if she was a male of a female, and how Mimi tried to smack his hand away. They petted her occasionally and Jongin gave Sehun the cookies her mother baked the other day. It was peaceful, the air was cool but didn’t bite their skin with it’s usual frost. Their jackets were enough, but he couldn’t tell the same to the cat.

“I wonder how long she was here alone.” Jongin murmured. The cat was fluffy but his hands sunk in the fur to touch a skinny body. She was beautiful but weak. Jongin decided to bring her some food since he couldn’t have given her the chocolate chip cookies. 

Sehun had a weird look in his eyes, dare to say, he looked emphatic. His smile was small as he caressed Mimi’s fur. “I wonder…” he said.

“At least she isn’t now.” Jongin tried with a reassuring smile, he didn’t like Sehun like that even if a part of him found the others melancholy endearing. “I am gonna go get some food for her, can you wait here for her a bit?” he quickly took his phone out and opened the screen. “You can call me if something happens.” He didn't know why he had just remembered he could always take Sehun’s number. Why was he forgetting the basic things like these?

Sehun just shook his head, he looked amused. “I don’t have a phone, Jongin, don’t worry about it, I will be here when you turn back.”

Jongin just nodded dumbly. Not even thinking how weird of a boy his age to not own a phone.

It didn’t matter, did it?

____________________

“So who is this friend you always meet outside?” his mother asked one morning, Jongin had just brewed coffee and put it in a thermos along with two cups. He shrugged.

“His name is Sehun, he lives around here.”

“Oh, did they just move in? It’s a little weird, it’s a small town here, and I haven’t heard of him.”

For some reason, Jongin felt uncomfortable. He continued to pack his bag hastily. He felt like he was hearing things which he wasn’t supposed to. He felt anxiousness creeping up. And however hard he tried. He couldn’t stop it. Apparently his mother had more to ask.

“So where do you guys hang out?”

Jongin swallowed, he didn’t want to answer. Why didn’t he want to answer? It was no secret, Sehun wasn’t some weird kid or a bad influence so why was it so hard to form sentences out loud?

“Next to the train rails inside the forest.” he managed to say. “The ones near our backyard."

Jongin’s mother just laughed. Jongin didn’t know what was funny.

“No seriously Jongin where do you guys meet?”

Jongin’s brows furrowed. Feeling confused, he stopped packing his bag and faced his mother.

“Mom I just said it.” Why was she acting like this?

“Jongin…” his mother said. She wasn’t smiling anymore.

“But honey, there aren’t any tracks near the town...”

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if you liked it!


End file.
